Grid walk test (foot-fault)

Grid walk test assesses for motor, coordination and movement impairment by evaluating limb function during locomotion in rodents. Stroke-induced mice generally exhibited more contralateral (impaired limb) foot faults and normal animals observed few or no foot faults.²⁵ Mice were placed on an elevated wire grid measuring 37 cm (H) × 48 cm (W) with 1.5 cm × 1.5 cm square holes, and allowed to walk for 5–10 min to get 100 steps. Precise grip and placement of forelimb are required to complete this test and measured foot fault of the affected forelimbs. With each weight-bearing step, the forelimbs may fall or slip between the wire. This was recorded as a foot fault. The video camera was located in front of the grid panel in the bottom to track mice movement with the appropriate angle. All assessments were done by an experimenter blinded to the group assignment. Sham, vehicle and ABAH-treated mice were tested on days −1, 1, 3, 7, 10, 14, and 21 days after tMCAO. The number of both contralateral and ipsilateral foot fault for each limb is assessed by total number of steps and showed foot fault value. The equation for grid walk score was calculated by (left foot fault-right foot fault)/number of steps × 100.²⁶